Bridging The Gap: How We’re Creating Opportunities and Solving The Construction Labor Crisis
The construction industry is facing a crisis—there is a serious shortage of skilled workers on-site. Many different sources confirm this, and companies are feeling it.
The US Census Bureau states the field is around 500,000 workers short. Associated General Contractors ran a survey that concluded 85% of firms within the profession have open positions they need filled. Even those already in a role may be nearing a shift in position, as by 2030, the average craft will be 46 years of age. In a physically laborious industry, working while at that stage of life often requires a change to less demanding responsibilities to accommodate them.
These issues have led to rising project costs, delayed or denied projects, and many overworked employees, which only exacerbates the wear-and-tear on older workers. Simply put, the industry needs new faces to plug up labor and skill gaps, and Bridge Builders is committed to providing that. By giving people second chances and quality training, we are creating opportunities and helping solve the labor crisis.
What’s Causing The Construction Labor Crisis
Cutting to the core of the problem, the cause of the labor crisis is twofold: People aren’t coming into the field, and among those who are, they tend to lack specific skills the industry desperately needs in the modern day.
Decreasing Interest in The Field
White-collar jobs are attracting future workers now more than ever; people grow up aiming to work for tech companies or start-ups. A laptop and remote work are the dream. Consequently, this has led to decreasing interest in a very societally important field. Those looking to get into blue-collar work in 2025 typically look for positions in:
Retail
Fast Food
Or Warehouse Work
While entirely teachable and accessible, roles in the industry are not the most sought-after. The lack of new faces is the main cause of existing craft employees being overworked due to understaffed worksites, which is especially harmful for the high number of 40+ year olds wearing hard hats.
The Skills Gap
Even with those already in the field, there lies a pivotal issue: There aren’t enough specialists who can handle high-skill roles on-site. Electricians, architects, elevator installers—these positions are vital, holding major importance in many projects. However, gaining the skills and credentials necessary to work in these roles can take up to 5 years, and many existing workers will not or cannot put in that kind of time. Because of that, the industry has not just a labor crisis, but a skills crisis as well.
The symptoms of this issue are felt in:
Delayed or denied projects
Rising project costs due to a need to hire third parties
And lower quality work
The skills gap hurts the entirety of the industry and leads to fewer buildings being produced nationwide.
How Bridge Builders Is Solving The Construction Labor Crisis
The potential workforce is much wider than most think it is—plenty of men and women would kill to get a role on-site. However, especially in recent years, these potential workers have past and present struggles that can make employers wary of them, such as:
Addiction
A Criminal Record
Or Mental Health Issues
Problems like these often result in people lacking valuable skills, having marred resumes, and making it that much harder to get hired. Bridge Builders helps both them and the companies that may hire them by offering training to the individual and handling payroll and workers' compensation liability. They get to develop skills, and companies don’t take nearly as big a risk when choosing them. We create opportunities on both ends.
Our apprenticeship program will provide the new faces the industry needs, and our course instructor, Chauncy Horton, is ready to train in a variety of industry disciplines. If you’re looking to enter the construction workforce, contact Bridge Builders today or sign up for our courses! We want nothing more than to get you back on your feet!
Sources
How to Fill the Skills Gap in Construction
Construction Labor Shortage: Challenges, Impacts, and Solutions
https://abctn.org/construction-labor-shortage/
Talent shortage shakes construction sector's foundation
https://action.deloitte.com/insight/4251/talent-shortage-shakes-construction-sectors-foundation
Skilled Labor Shortage in Construction: How to Close the Gap
https://aic-builds.org/skilled-labor-shortage-construction/
Construction’s age problem: A foreboding exodus of experience
https://www.constructiondive.com/news/construction-labor-retirement-recruiting-dei/651184/
The Best-Paying Construction Jobs in the U.S.
https://constructioncoverage.com/research/best-paying-construction-jobs